Colombia prison battle leaves at least 10 dead

BOGOTA, Colombia -- A skirmish inside a Bogota prison between jailed guerrillas and inmates who refused to cooperate in a rebel escape plan left at least 10 inmates dead, officials said Tuesday.

Twenty-two inmates were wounded in a firefight, which erupted late-Monday inside the La Modelo penitentiary, one of Colombia's most violent and overcrowded jails. Rival gangs fought using guns and fragmentation grenades, officials said.

The federal prison houses an explosive mix of inmates, including leftist rebels, rival rightist paramilitary members and drug traffickers. Corrupt guards look the other way as arms of all sorts are smuggled into the jail.

Gunshots and explosions were heard throughout the night before tapering off early Tuesday as guards forced their way into the conflictive wards.